Stay at home this Easter

Police are reminding people to abide by social distancing measures during the Easter Bank Holiday, despite the forecast warm weather over the weekend.

Officers will be carrying out additional patrols in parks and recreation grounds across the county this weekend, to ensure everyone is following the guidelines correctly.

Individuals are currently only permitted to leave their home for the following very limited purposes:

Shopping for basic necessities, as infrequently as possible

One form of exercise a day - for example, a run, walk or cycle - alone or with members of their household

Any medical need, to provide care or to help a vulnerable person

Travelling to and from work, but only where they cannot work from home.

Remember, gatherings of more than two people are only permitted in very limited circumstances, such as:

If they are of the same household

If it is necessary for work purposes

To attend a funeral

If it is reasonably necessary for some situations, such as providing care and assistance to a vulnerable person.

This means that families should not be travelling to the homes of other family members, or friends, for gatherings over the weekend.

Assistant Chief Constable Nathan Briant, who is leading the Constabulary's response to COVID-19, said: “We fully appreciate that the long Easter weekend is usually a time for families and friends to get together, but it is vital that people continue to respect the government's social distancing guidelines at this time. As a community, we are all suffering the hardship of staying at home and not being able to meet friends and family, but only by continuing our efforts can we hope to save lives and hasten the removal of the restrictions.

"Our officers will be on patrol in parks and open spaces around the county this weekend, checking that everyone is enjoying the bank holiday safely and responsibly. Their role there is primarily public safety, as we try to reduce the opportunities for the virus to spread. Officers will always seek to encourage compliance of the regulations, but where necessary for the benefit of the wider public, we will take enforcement action if required. Together, as a community, we can beat this.

"If you are concerned that you have seen a gathering which contravenes the guidance, we would encourage you to contact us using our online reporting methods. This will help to relieve some of the pressure on our emergency lines and resources, and allow for a quicker response to urgent 999 calls.

"We really appreciate your co-operation and would like to thank everyone for their support so far."

To report a COVID-19 related crime, such as a mass gathering, please ensure that you use the online methods of reporting where possible, which can be found at herts.police.uk/contact or herts.police.uk/report.